And so the postseason has arrived. And for the first time, the Nationals have tangible reason to care about the outcome. That's because they'll be playing the winner of today's first-ever, winner-take-all, NL Wild Card Game between the Braves and Cardinals. The Nationals will all huddle around their own TV sets to watch this one, then board a plane tomorrow for either Atlanta or St. Louis and in advance of Sunday's Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

Both managers today are sending their aces to the mound. Kris Medlen (10-1, 1.57 ERA this season) gets the ball for the Braves, who will attempt to win for the 23rd consecutive time when the right-hander starts a game. The Cardinals' Kyle Lohse (16-3, 2.86 ERA) just completed the best season of his career and makes his 10th career postseason appearance (he's 0-4 with a 5.54 ERA).

Emotions surely will be strong at Turner Field, with Chipper Jones playing perhaps the final game of his Cooperstown-worthy career. In order to extend his time in uniform at least a few more days, he and his teammates will have to dethrone the reigning World Series champs.

There's nothing quite like a one-game playoff. And we've never had this much reason to watch in Washington. Enjoy the game, everyone…

I only saw one replay, but it looked to me like Andrelton Simmons was settling under the ball. If he's parked and waiting for it, that is "ordinary effort." The umpire doesn't have to call it until just before it's caught (or not, in this case), though that call was later than it should have been.

Section 3, My Playoffs Sofa said… I only saw one replay, but it looked to me like Andrelton Simmons was settling under the ball. If he's parked and waiting for it, that is "ordinary effort." The umpire doesn't have to call it until just before it's caught (or not, in this case), though that call was later than it should have been. October 05, 2012 8:17 PM _______________________________We don't know when he yelled infield fly rule or if he yelled it. He threw up his hand late.All in all, it would have been 6-3 with bases loaded and 1 out. There's no guarantee of anything as Boggs would have stayed in.

Just remember that when the Senators left in 71 the fans stormed the field at the last game and the game was forfited. Angry fans and Alcohol don't mix anywhere. Lets hope that if something like this happened we would behave better.

Well, the call really was the correct call, but the ump made the call afpwfully late. I hope that there were some arrests made. There is no excuse for throwing anything on the field. That was disgraceful behavior from the fans.

MicheleS said… Just remember that when the Senators left in 71 the fans stormed the field at the last game and the game was forfited. Angry fans and Alcohol don't mix anywhere. Lets hope that if something like this happened we would behave better.____________________________________________You can't be old to enough to know what happened in 1971, right?

If you're looking for bad combos of alcohol and baseball fans, don't forget Bill Veeck's 10 cent beer day (in Cleveland (?)) And there's the the Disco Demolition Day disaster at the White Sox game back in the late 70s. But this is a little different. Hating the umps is normal, but wreaking havoc in the stands over a bad call is disgusting.

MicheleS — while I was in my freshman year of college when that happened, the point was that there was at that point no immediate future for baseball in DC. The fans were — as Boz wrote — betrayed by a scumbag.

We don't know when he yelled infield fly rule or if he yelled it. He threw up his hand late.He doesn't have to call it out loud. Raising his arm is the call. In the one replay I saw, one time, I did see the third base umpire raise his hand, but it was just before the ball hit. Very very late, but maybe not too late, and that part is probably not protestable.

Darn! Really wanted Chipper to make the last out in his last game, a game in which his error started the Braves' collapse! That would have been awesome. Note that TBS didn't show all the replay angles. He might have been out. If Uggla ties this, whoa Nelly.

I'll be honest, I'm much more comfortable watching the Nats against the Cards than the Braves. Something about the in-division nature of a Nats vs Braves playoff series that I dont like. That, and I think we play our best when the offense is able to get it going in big games. Braves pitching staff would have been the harder challenge in my opinion. Plus, EJax has the inside scoop on his old team.

Ghost Of Steve M. said… If the Braves lose today, the handling of Medlen will be the reason why vs the Nats handling of Strasburg.Think about what would have happened if Medlen was the Braves #5 starter on Day #1. Theoretically they could have been the team with 99 wins instead of their postseason dependent on "lose and die" scenario and even if they win today, Medlen may not pitch again if the Braves get swept in 3 in the NLDS although he will most likely pitch Wednesday if they move on.October 05, 2012 1:02 PM __________________________________Now time to discuss!

Wow, they just showed the replay again, and I take back what I said–the third base ump did NOT call that until it bounced twice. I've had umpires tell me explicitly that the rule does not require them to "call it in the air" but great googeley moogley, that is inexcusable at an MLB playoff game.

Joe Seamhead said… Braves line : 3 runs on 12 hits, 3 errors, a bad call by Fredi Gonlazes, and a baserunning error on the bunt.They weren't robbed, they beat themselves and lost the game._______________________They sure did. They had plenty of chances.

Ghost, he was safe, but tag did beat him to the bag. Huh?He was safe–just look at the box score, says right there he got a hit. But the first baseman tagged the bag, while holding the ball, before Chipper got there. And they just showed it again, highlighting the LEFT FIELD ump (who I didn't think to look for) did call it in the air.

Mick — they don't mind being called "rednecks." If you want to get under their skin, so to speak, call 'em "crackers." I've seen the infield fly rule called on any number of pop flies into the outfield. The issue I would take with the call was how late it seemed. One guess is the ump was waiting to see whether the SS would turn his shoulder to the ball — which to my mind is where the infield fly should be "off." At the point the SS appeared to be backing up and waving off Holliday, I think the ump decided to call the rule.Protest is futile.As a footnote, I almost feel sorry for the Braves being stuck w/ Uggla at 2B. Wonder how much longer he'll keep a job there.Braves fans barf. My daughter is going to school down there and she and her fiance go to the occasional game — they find the fans hard to stomach in an ordinary game.

MicheleS said… Gonat.. Not quite that old but just remember all the folks on here that have told the story of the last game. October 05, 2012 8:31 PM ________________________________Yah, I have no clue on that. I thought it was still a Ladies and Gentleman game back in 1971.

I don't hate the Braves like the Phillies, but that chop really, really gets on my nerves. I can understand why the fans were upset, but throwing stuff on the field is embarrassing, as the broadcasters noted. Way to say goodbye to your retiring player, folks. (NatsNut, I understood where you were coming from in your comments, and you had a Braves connection way before your Nats connection. Bummer for your brother.)